The implementations described herein relate generally to systems and methods for tracking cargo, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for locating and prioritizing cargo.
Each day, numerous amounts of cargo is picked-up, transported, and/or delivered to different destinations. Delivery of such cargo may be time-sensitive and may need to reach a recipient much more quickly than other cargo. In a military context, a supply aircraft may drop multiple pieces of cargo within a predefined area. A helicopter picks up the cargo and delivers it to specified ground locations. Cargo management systems exist that mark a general location of each piece of cargo. At least some known cargo management systems use human eyesight and/or standard night vision systems to assist pilots in finding cargo that was dropped into areas of foliage and/or other environmental obscurants. Such known systems are inefficient in locating cargo, resulting in increased danger to the pilot and crew. Additionally, known cargo management systems do not provide a method for the crew to identify the contents of each piece of cargo from the helicopter. Accordingly, it may be difficult to locate and identify time-sensitive cargo for delivery.
Moreover, at least some known helicopters use sling-load attachments for picking up and transporting cargo. Numerous safety issues exist with the use of sling-load attachments, including, proximity of the helicopter to the load itself and wires and/or branches that may be located between the current helicopter location to a point above the load where the cargo can be safely hooked. To couple the helicopter to the load, at least some known attachment systems include a crew member sticking his/her head through an opening in the floor of the helicopter and calling out verbal commands to the pilot for lowering the helicopter above the load. Such method is prone to communication error between the crew member and the pilot, and introduces the crew member to safety risks.